Elite depth, the staple of so many recent national champions, is harder to maintain in the NIL/portal era of player transience.

Here are the former IHSA players on rosters for College Football Playoff semifinalists Ohio State, Texas, Penn State and Notre Dame.

College Football Playoff bracket has been trimmed down to four teams, with none of the top four seeds advancing to the semifinals. The College Football Playoff 2025 continues Thursday when No. 6 seed Penn State faces No.

Notre Dame will be without a tight end as it sits two wins away from its first national championship in 36 years.

The Story: When the Irish lost 16-14 at home to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7, Notre Dame’s odds of winning the national title ballooned to 100-1. Twelve wins later, including two by double digits in the playoffs, and they are listed at 7-1.

The Buckeyes’ defense will be tested by the high-flying Longhorns, who are 13-2 and rank 21st in scoring. Texas lost to Georgia twice this year but bounced back to beat Clemson in the first round and Arizona State in the Peach Bowl, approaching 40 points in both victories.

The first College Football Playoff semifinal will feature Penn State and Notre Dame. A breakdown of the keys to victory in the Orange Bowl.